The Sycamores

The Sycamores provides personal care and accommodation for up to 60 older people and individuals living with dementia across two floors in an adapted building. During this first inspection following its recent registration, the service showed strengths in everyday support and resident relationships, alongside important areas that require operational attention. The management team acted promptly during the visit to address immediate concerns and started planning further corrective actions.

Regarding safety, systems for storing and managing medicines were not always properly maintained, including issues with controlled drugs, thickening agents, and fridge temperature logs. However, staff understood how to protect residents from abuse, staffing levels were sufficient, and infection prevention and control practices were appropriately followed.

For effectiveness, the home met residents' nutritional and health needs well, with menus tailored to dietary preferences and strong cooperation with external health professionals. On the physical environment side, while dementia-friendly interior choices were visible, corridor handrails need updates to reduce the risk of entrapment.

The caring aspect stood out through compassionate interactions, where staff consistently used respectful language, respected personal preferences, and knew residents by their preferred names. Relatives and residents consistently described the team as polite, welcoming, and attentive to personal dignity.

In terms of responsiveness, care plans were personalized and families could visit freely without restrictions, though feedback regarding organized activities was mixed, with some noting fewer events available on specific units. Communication needs were properly assessed, and families felt confident that any complaints would be handled appropriately.

Management and leadership showed inconsistencies, particularly regarding internal auditing systems that failed to catch medicine storage and controlled drug tracking issues before the inspection. Despite these administrative shortcomings, leaders responded openly to findings and worked closely with authorities to outline necessary improvements.